Placement is part of the styling, not an afterthought. A favour usually sits on the side plate, on the napkin, or just above the setting alongside the place card. Keep it consistent down the whole table, because an even line reads as considered while a scattered one looks rushed. If the box carries a printed name or date, angle it so guests see it as they sit.

Some couples prefer to share a small box between two settings for couples seated together, which trims the count but complicates the table plan. It works, but it asks more of your stationery and place cards, so only choose it if the saving genuinely matters.

Gifts for men run into the same tired shortlist every year, and flowers rarely make it onto it. handcrafted chocolate gifts does a better job than its reputation suggests, provided you pick the format with the recipient in mind. For most men and most occasions, a large mixed collection is the sensible answer.

New babies and christenings bring a run of gifts aimed squarely at the child, which is lovely and also slightly misses the people doing the hard work. A chocolate gift, especially a personalised one, quietly addresses the parents and the wider family at a point when a small kindness lands well.

A few practical points. Decide on personalisation early, since a date or names printed on the box adds a step to the order and needs lead time. Read any message back for spelling before you commit, because a printed error on an anniversary gift is a poor look. Allow extra time near Christmas, when a December anniversary competes with the busiest ordering window of the year.

Lead times catch people out more than anything else. Handmade stock and personalised print both need runway, so treat six to eight weeks out as the sensible window for a firm order, and longer if you are ordering in the run-up to Christmas when demand is heaviest. Confirm your numbers after the RSVP deadline, not before, and give yourself a buffer for the inevitable late reply.